Germany: coalition finally passes 2025 budget
18 Jul 2024
The German cabinet has at last approved its 2025 budget after months of wrangling, despite a €17 billion shortfall between projected spending and revenue. Finance minister Christian Lindner stated that innovative measures and stronger growth from…
A Russian cruise missile has struck Okhmatdyt, Ukraine's largest children's hospital, in central Kyiv. The attack caused significant damage, including a collapsed roof that killed two hospital workers and injured 16 people, including seven children. Thousands…
France: leftist alliance rejects Macron’s calls for coalition after inconclusive election
11 Jul 2024
Emmanuel Macron has urged France's mainstream political forces to form a coalition after the elections resulted in a hung parliament. The New Popular Front, which emerged as the largest bloc with around 190 seats, have demanded…
Opponents of Marine le Pen’s far-right party National Rally (RN) have intensified efforts to block it from power, with over 200 candidates withdrawing from run-off elections to avoid splitting the anti-RN vote. RN led the first-round…
Ukraine: Orban visits, calls for ceasefire
05 Jul 2024
In his first visit to Ukraine for ten years, Viktor Orban has called for a ceasefire. A longstanding critic of Western military aid to Ukraine, he suggested that a swift ceasefire could expedite peace talks. He…
France: Macron’s gamble looks like backfiring
27 Jun 2024
France's political future is uncertain as Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) leads opinion polls ahead of parliamentary elections on 30 June. Emmanuel Macron faces potential ‘cohabitation’ with an opposing prime minister, or a fragmented…